1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to an apparatus enabling disabled persons to walk.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Polish patent application P-307 620 (published as PL 176,092 on Sep. 16, 1996), the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein, discloses an apparatus assisting disabled persons in walking. This apparatus comprises two mechanisms in the form of articulated rectangles, one of them being a two-dimensional rectangle for rectilinear motion whereas another three-dimensional rectangle is responsible for movement direction changes. This solution provides effective means for stiffening lower limbs of a disabled person involved as well as to perform rotational motion of lower limbs around their natural pivots i.e. hip joints.
The apparatus according to this invention is devoid of such disadvantage.
The apparatus according to this invention comprises a rigid elliptic jacket abutting against and supported by wearer's pelvis, attached to the movement direction change mechanism, open in its rear portion and provided with a lock, whereas on vertical members of the rectilinear movement mechanism there are mounted cylindrical shank clamps, each having open rear portion, and skids rigidly attached to foot supporting platforms, constituting lowermost members of the rectilinear movement mechanism; the skids resting on the ground or floor, as appropriate.
In the apparatus of the invention, the connection between each respective rectilinear walking movement mechanism and the movement direction changing mechanism is on the vertical axis of symmetry of the rectilinear walking movement mechanism.
The direction changing mechanism enables the patient's leg to turn around the vertical axis. Preferably, the direction changing mechanism is formed of members which are pivoted or are articulated together, as this permits good angular change of movement.